Being able to make a soft fluffy biscuit is the hallmark test of the true southern cook. Our biscuits are not sweet (we call that shortcake) and they are not tough. I will teach you how to keep your biscuits from becoming tough with a few simple “Must Know” tips that you must use when you follow the recipe.
Southern Fluffy Biscuits
Ingredients (1 Serving = 2 Biscuits)
How to Make a Fluffy Southern Biscuit
Equipment Needed
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- Food Processor OR Pastry Cutter OR Large Fork
- Rolling Pin OR Clean Wine Bottle
- Sheet Pan OR Cast Iron Skillet
- Biscuit Cutter
- Pastry Brush
Must Know Tips
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Make sure your butter, lard, or shortening is very cold. It needs to be cold so that it doesn't melt before the dough gets a chance to set from the heat. When the dough sets first, the fat melts later and keeps the bread light and fluffy with tiny air pockets of moistened dough. If you let the fat get to room temperature or warm, before you cook the biscuits, they will not be as airy.
Do not overwork the dough. When the dough comes together in the bowl, pour it out onto the cold counter. Fold and rotate the dough 12 times. If you do this less than 12 times, you may not work the baking powder in properly resulting in a weird aftertaste. If you do this more than 12 times you run the risk of too much gluten forming in the dough, causing a tough biscuit. We call those dumplings or hard rolls, lol.
Make sure your wet ingredients are cold. This will help preserve the physical integrity of the fat.
Recipe Instructions
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Preheat Oven and Getting Started
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Gather your equipment and ingredients.
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Mixing the Dry Ingredients
Let's start with the dry ingredients and cut in the fat. Sift all the dry ingredients together to get them well-mixed. I use kosher salt, but that form is not the ideal texture for the dough, so I grind the salt to a powder before mixing it with flour. If you don't have a mill/grinder, you can crush the salt with the back of a spoon in a small bowl or mortar and pestle until it is crushed. -
Cutting in the Fat with a Food Processor
Next is to cut in the fat. I use a food processor and start with the dry ingredients, cube my cold butter, and add it to the flour. I pulse the processor until the butter has been cut into small pea-sized pieces. -
Cutting in the Fat by Hand
If you do this by hand, you can use a pastry cutter or a large fork and keep cutting the butter into the flour until it is the right size. -
Adding the Wet Ingredients
Next, mix the water and heavy cream, add most of it to the dry ingredients, and use a large wooden spoon to mix the dough. Use the spoon to keep from touching it with your warm hands. You do not want that butter to get soft. When the dough starts to come together, pour it out onto your counter and quickly fold it 12 times. Keep the folds loose but use that movement to shape the dough ball into an oval or rectangle. -
Rolling Out the Dough
Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough ball to a thickness of about 3/4" thick. -
Cutting the Biscuits
Use a biscuit cutter to closely cut the biscuits. Dipping the cutter in flour between each biscuit. Do not twist the cutter. Go straight down and then back up. -
Arranging Biscuits in Pan
Arrange the biscuits on an ungreased sheet pan. Place them together if you want them to rise taller or keep them apart for them to rise in all directions. -
Baking the Biscuits
Bake in the middle rack for 13-15 minutes. -
Remove from the Oven
Remove immediately from the oven and brush the tops with melted salted butter. -
Serving the Biscuits
Serve as is, with jam, covered in gravy, or as a sandwich.
